Szabi's photos

Greetings from Köln I. ~walking between the two bridges~

Köln is Germany's fourth-largest city with more than ten million inhabitants. It is one of the oldest cities in Germany, having been founded by the Romans in the year 38 BC.


Deutzer bridge
Hohenzollernbridge

St. Martin Kirshe

in the background the Dom and St. Martin Kirche
During World War II, Cologne was a Military Area Command Headquarters, endured 262 air raids by the Western Allies, which almost completely wiped out the center of the city. During the night of 31 May 1942, Cologne was the site of "Operation Millennium", the first 1,000 bomber raid by the Royal Air Force in World War II. 1,046 heavy bombers attacked their target with 1,455 tons of explosives. This raid lasted about 75 minutes, destroyed 243 ha of built-up area. By the end of the war, the population of Cologne was reduced by 95%. This loss was mainly caused by a massive evacuation of the people to more rural areas.
Bombing still visible on the streets...